Brooklyn Nets @ Chicago Bulls, 8 P.M.:Pregame Open Thread

Game Info: The Chicago Bulls (12-9) take on the Brooklyn Nets (13-9) tonight at 8:00 P.M. EST, at United Center in Chicago. The game will be televised on YES Network and WGN America nationally (WGN is a local Chicago channel, but broadcasts across the country). Ryan Ruocco and Greg Anthony have the call on YES. WFAN has the radio call, WADO has the Spanish radio call.

OUT: Jerry Stackhouse for the Nets. Brook Lopez is IN for the second straight night, and he’ll be again limited to 24 minutes. (Lopez played 23:50 in yesterday’s double overtime game.) Derrick Rose, Rip Hamilton, and Kirk Hinrich sit for the Chicago Bulls.

Three things to watch:

1) Minutes. Tom Thibodeau is what we’d call liberal with his playing time: Joakim Noah and Luol Deng both average over 40 minutes per game, and the Bulls are on three days of rest. Thibodeau doesn’t go deep in his rotation as a result. Conversely, Avery Johnson played Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace 52 and 50 minutes last night, respectively, and will likely have to curb the playing time on the second night of a back-to-back. Brook Lopez is also on a 24-minute limit tonight.

2) Perimeter scoring. The Nets employ one of the better catch-and-shoot shooters in the league in Joe Johnson, and he’s finally begun looking like it. The Bulls are one of the best teams at defending catch-and-shoot plays. Johnson’s big and long enough to not get too disturbed by the likes of Marco Belinelli, but how well he adjusts to the swarming, pack-the-paint Bulls defense could swing the game.

3) D-Will. Deron Williams will primarily be guarded by Nate Robinson, who measures in at 3’8″ in platform shoes. If there’s any player Williams can dominate with his post-up and attack game, it’s Nate Robinson.

Comments

WFAN’s Evan Roberts said he would be shocked if the Nets win and hopes he can tweet how wrong he was at 3am when he finishes the DVR(he has a date). Let’s feed him some late night twitter crow tonight!